


wrapped in his arms

by orphan_account



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Angst, Heteronormativity, Implied/Referenced Homophobia, Kissing, M/M, Making Out, Sharing a Bed, Snuggling
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-05-24
Updated: 2016-03-30
Packaged: 2018-03-31 23:12:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 15
Words: 20,031
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3996778
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Hinata goes to Kageyama's home to study after practice. After he ends up spending the night, sleeping arrangements and internal monologue lead him to a startling realization: he likes Kageyama.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I'm leaving this unrated, purely because I don't know how much it will vary chapter to chapter. I struggled with what to title this, because I'm really bad at coming up with titles. I'll put any necessary warnings at the beginning of each chapter so you know what to expect! I need to plan out the story line, but I hope to add a chapter each week. Wish me luck with that, lol. I hope you enjoy this, and comments are encouraged! This is my first fic for Haikyuu!! so I appreciate any pointers.  
> This chapter is pretty mild, just bed-sharing and subsequent cuddling. It's also unbeta'd because I needed to post it before I chickened out. I apologize for typos or other silly errors caused by this. With that being said, enjoy!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> mildly edited on 10 July 2015 for formatting purposes  
> edited again on CHRISTMAS EVE bc grammar.....

Hinata helped put away nets as practice came to a close, distracted. He had been falling behind in math and had been begging Kageyama to help him study. Although Kageyama wasn’t quite an honor student, he certainly grasped the subject better and had eventually grumbled that yes, he would help the idiot. This was how the middle blocker found himself leaving practice with the tall setter, walking in comfortable silence. As they set out on their way, saying their goodbyes, Hinata found himself gravitating closer to his looming teammate. He mindfully kept a small breadth between them, wondering to himself about when and how this trend had come to be. Suddenly, he was aware of the sensation of a flick to the forehead.

“Hey, dumbass, are you listening to me?” Kageyama demanded, looking down at him as if he already knew the answer. He did. Huffing, he added, “Of course not. I was asking what it was your pea brain couldn’t quite grasp about quadratic equations, but I see you’re busy daydreaming. As per usual."

“Sorry! Sorry.” Hinata squeaked. He knew that Kageyama wouldn’t offer to help unless he wanted to, but he still felt like he was forcing the setter into tutoring him. Kageyama was silent for a beat before nudging him gently and saying, “Come on idiot, we don’t have all day.” Hinata picked up his pace and they continued their walk to the taller’s house.

Once they arrived, Kageyama unlocked the door and the two walked inside. Hinata found himself slightly excited – or was that nervous? – to be in Kageyama’s home for the first time. Why would I be nervous about that? He asked himself, not knowing the answer. He forced out a “Sorry for intruding!” as he stumbled out of his shoes before following Kageyama to his room. As he made his way, he realized that nobody else was there. For some reason, this made him feel jittery. What was his deal lately?

* * *

After studying for what felt like an eternity, Hinata flopped back on the floor and tried to stifle his yawn. He had decided that math was the work of Satan himself. Looking at his phone, he jumped. It was already 10:15, and he was still at Kageyama’s house. He sat up and showed the lit-up screen to his teammate, who hummed before simply saying, “Huh. Want to stay here tonight?”

Hinata felt something in his stomach clench at that, and shoved down the needless nerves he now felt. He knew that it was the smart thing to do, but he still felt his heart rate accelerate as he squeaked “Yes!” before calling his mother to let her know. She sounded relieved, and told him to thank Kageyama for his hospitality. After hanging up, he turned and threw an awkward thumbs-up as he put away his books. Kageyama simply got up and left the room, saying nothing. Hinata could hear the noises of his teammate looking around the apartment for a few minutes before returning to the doorway, a thoughtful look on his face.

“We seem to not have a futon.” He said, arms crossed as he leaned against the doorframe.

“Okay,” Hinata replied, his voice sounding a bit sharp to his own ears. “So, um, I can sleep on the floor?” Why did that sound like a question? He almost missed what Kageyama said next.

“Don’t be stupid, my bed’s big enough for two people.”

What? _What?_ Hinata’s mouth went dry, and he settled for nodding, not even trying to say anything about being called stupid yet again. He felt like slapping himself. This was not a big deal, it didn’t mean anything, they were just going to… Sleep together. Kageyama walked over to his dresser, digging around for a moment before throwing a wad of cloth at him. Catching it clumsily, Hinata stared down with a blank look on his face.

“They’re old clothes. They might still be big on you since you’re the size of an elementary schooler, but it’s what I have. Go get changed.” Kageyama said, indicating the bathroom by nodding toward it. Hinata did as he was told wordlessly, avoiding eye contact and shuffling across the hall. He changed quickly, cursing himself for getting this worked up over staying at stupid Kageyama’s house. He thought for a moment about how they were about to be sharing a bed, and he could feel his cheeks heat up. Pulling on the clothes that had been thrown at him, Hinata pulled the drawstrings of the shorts until they bunched up enough to stay on. After pulling on the frankly enormous t-shirt, he steeled himself and made his way back to the bedroom.

Kageyama had apparently changed while he was gone, and was now laying in the bed close to the wall. He was on his phone and didn’t notice Hinata standing in the doorway awkwardly for a moment. When he did, he put his phone down.

“Are you going to stand there the whole night?” He asked, brow furrowed as he propped himself up on his elbows. At this, Hinata wordlessly dropped his clothes on the ground and made his way to the side of the bed. Kageyama was looking at him weird, and he was about to say something when he heard, “Are you okay? You look like you feel bad.”

And he wasn’t expecting that. Did he just ask if he was okay? That was weird. He mumbled something that sounded like a yes as he slid reluctantly under the covers, immediately feeling the heat radiating from his teammate as his heart rate jumped yet again. That was good enough for Kageyama, who looked exhausted when Hinata chanced a glance in his direction as he reached to flick off the lights. He shifted, trying to get comfortable as he thought about the night ahead of him. A still silence enveloped the two and they began to drift, Hinata adjusting his position one more time before falling asleep.

* * *

 The first thing Hinata noticed as he woke up was that he was very warm. Almost immediately after this revelation, he became aware of arms wrapped around his shoulders and a chest pressed against his face. He held still, not quite sure how to process the position he was in. Looking up, he found that he was indeed wrapped in Kageyama’s arms.

_Oh my god, oh my god what do I do?!_ He thought to himself. If he moved, he ran the risk of waking him up. After considering this, Hinata decided to just let the setter keep sleeping. Besides, it felt nice to be in Kageyama’s arms like this. He ignored how weird that sounded and allowed himself to relax, a smile on his face.

An unknown amount of time passed before Hinata felt his teammate begin to wake up. _This is so awkward,_ he realized, and decided to pretend to be asleep to avoid the uncomfortable interaction he was afraid of. He closed his eyes, tried to keep his breathing even, and relaxed his face. Leaving Kageyama wrapped around him like this was a bad idea.

“Hinata?” He heard, and shit, it didn’t work. That didn't stop him from trying, refusing to respond until the warmth around him disappeared, the setter pulling away awkwardly. Still half asleep, the short middle blocker was shocked to hear a noise of discontent come out of him before he could hold it back. Kageyama stilled beside him, and he knew that he’d been caught. The tiny middle blocker reluctantly opened his eyes, and they fell upon his teammate’s decidedly uncomfortable face.

“Morning.” Kageyama muttered, laying on his side and looking at Hinata with an unreadable expression on his face.

“Hi.” He responded, sitting up awkwardly. Before Kageyama could say anything or possibly hit him, he got up and grabbed his clothes. He hurried to the bathroom, not prepared to say anything about the position they woke up in. _He must get cold at night,_ Hinata told himself.

Not that he cared.

He changed and folded his borrowed clothes, hanging out for a couple minutes before returning to Kageyama’s room.

Kageyama was still in bed, sitting up now and looking like he wanted to say something. Not giving him the opportunity, Hinata asked what he wanted him to do with the borrowed shirt and shorts.

“Just leave them.” Kageyama replied, seeming to pick up on Hinata’s discomfort. He nodded, placing them gingerly on the corner of the bed before picking up his bag.

“Well, thanks for the hospitality,” he said awkwardly. Kageyama stood up and followed as he made his way to the entryway. Hinata yanked on his shoes as he watched stiffly.

“You know you don’t have to take off yet, right?” He finally asked, and Hinata froze. He felt a pull in his chest as he considered. Part of him really wanted to stay there with Kageyama, but he still felt so weird about sleeping in the same bed as him and he had no idea why. All he knew was that he wished that he could’ve stayed in the bed, wrapped in his arms for longer and whoa, where was that coming from. He had to go home, and now.

“I know, I just have… a thing.” He said weakly. “Thanks for letting me stay the night. See you tomorrow?” He asked, in an attempt to diffuse the building tension. Kageyama looked almost disappointed, and he’d make fun of him if he didn’t feel so confused.

“Yeah.” The setter replied, crossing his arms as Hinata pulled the door open.

“Okay, bye!” He chirped, and he hoped his voice wasn’t as high as he thought it sounded. The door closed behind him and he began the walk home, angry at himself. Why was he being so weird around Kageyama lately? People didn’t get nervous around teammates like that. As he thought about it to himself, a realization begins to creep closer and closer to conscious thought. The way he thought about Kageyama was obviously different, then. Different in a way that made sharing a bed feel strangely intimate, and in a way that had him blushing when thinking back on waking up snuggled against him, wrapped in his arms. Hinata almost tripped as he realized the issue.

Shit, he liked Kageyama.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Monday after the events of chapter 1! There's more sleeping on each other and some kissing, but that's all. Enjoy!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know I said it would be a week in between updates, but I got really inspired to write this today and I didn't want to hold onto it for a whole week, so here you go!

When Monday rolls around, Hinata is tired and jumpy. He wakes up late, thoughts of Kageyama only allowing him a few short hours of sleep, and barely makes it to morning practice on time. When he bursts into the club room, only Asahi and Sugawara are still there. He changes quickly, ignoring their concerned glances before taking off to the gymnasium without a word. 

Hinata enters the gym, and he realizes that it’s going to be a rough practice when he makes eye contact with Kageyama and trips over the doorframe. The setter approaches him as he regains his footing.

“Hey, idiot. I thought you were going to be late. Come on, and try to stay vertical this time.” He says briskly, not quite meeting Hinata’s eyes as he offers his hand. He pulls him up, averting his eyes and letting go after a beat. They move off to the side and begin tossing and returning the ball. They’re out of sync, Hinata having to go track it down ten times over the short span of time they spend together. Kageyama isn’t yelling at him, which is both a relief and also incredibly unnerving. Eventually, the last of the team members arrive and practice begins. 

The funk surrounding Hinata remains and he begins to get really frustrated. He really needs to forget this stupid crush before it ruins his playing, but the sheer thought of ignoring Kageyama sends something akin to sadness shooting through him. Practice is really rough as he predicted, and after he misses yet another toss, Daichi calls for a short break and he sees Suga walk over.

“Hey, Hinata, are you okay? You seem really distracted.” He asked gently, placing a hand on the middle blocker’s shoulder.

“Yeah! I’m fine. I just didn’t get a lot of sleep last night.” _Wait. Probably not the best thing to say._ Hinata tells himself, seeing the flash of worry in his senior’s eyes. “It’s not a problem though, I promise! I’m sorry I worried you!”

Suga looks apprehensive. “Okay, it’s fine. Just know I’m here if you need anything.” He glanced behind Hinata. “Well, I’m off!” He adds, turning on his heel to join Daichi by the bench. As he walked away, Hinata feels a presence before Kageyama comes into view close by his side. He hates himself for jumping.

“What are you doing after school today?” The setter asks bluntly.

“Practice.”

“Obviously. I mean after that, idiot.”

“Nothing?” Why did that sound like a question?

“Great. Come to mine, then.”

“Okay.” The word is out of his mouth before he can think to hold it in, and he feels strangely better and worse at the same time. All too soon, the break is over and they return to their positions.  
-  
The rest of the day is an indeterminate blur for Hinata. All he can think about is volleyball practice and what will come after that – a surprise invite to Kageyama’s house that he had instantly accepted. He had sent a text to his mother as he walked to class after practice, making sure it was okay with her. She had taken about an hour to reply, but she told him that yes, that was fine and to have fun with his friend.

_Friend._ He turned that word over in his head as his teacher droned on about whatever mathematical thing he’d decided to discuss that day. Was Kageyama his friend? They certainly spent a lot of time together, but he wasn’t sure they thought of each other as friends. Hinata hated admitting to himself that he didn’t see the setter in a platonic light, but it was the truth. What did Kageyama think of him? He had noticed a slight shift in his behavior during morning practice – quiet acceptance where there would normally be yelling, concern where there would have been apathetic distaste. It made him wonder if he was imagining the change, or if the setter pitied him. The thought made Hinata frown. He didn’t want to be pitied, but what did he want? A relationship beyond friendship? That made him stop, considering carefully. The idea sounded daunting… And incredibly desirable. Something inside him said that it would never happen, and he rubbed his hands over his face as he pushed the thought down. Why should the knowledge that they wouldn’t be together make him feel so sad? It didn’t make sense, he had always known that. Nonetheless, Hinata decided to stop thinking about it at all, instead focusing on the graphs the teacher had apparently drawn at some point during his small meltdown. He could act like he didn’t like Kageyama.  
-  
After-school practice went by as awkwardly and out of sync as it had that morning, and Hinata found himself still dreading the plans he had mindlessly agreed to. He was beyond exhausted, the sleepless hours from last night smacking him in the face as he struggled to keep in time with Kageyama’s tosses. Acting distant was going to be really difficult when he was already fighting to stay awake. 

Eventually, they were cleaning up, changing, and setting out on their separate paths home. Hinata fell into step beside Kageyama, not saying much of anything as they trudged toward his apartment. Neither of them seemed to have much to say, and it was only once they were in the setter’s room that the silence was broken.

“Do you want to watch a movie?” The taller asks, holding up a few cases that he’d chosen from under the TV. Hinata nods, not really sure what else they would do. He’s tired enough that he doesn’t really care, and he also knows that he’ll be focusing on acting totally platonic for at least the next couple of hours. Kageyama says, “Alright,” considering the movies in his hand before choosing one and putting it in. It appears to be an action movie, and the screen is soon full of explosions and people with big guns. Hinata had made himself comfortable leaning against the side of the bed, where he’s joined moments after the play button is hit. They’re not touching, not quite, but they’re close enough that he can feel an echo of the heat he remembered from Saturday night. Something about the situation – sitting here with a movie playing as if only for background noise – is incredibly soothing, and Hinata drifts off before he even realizes it’s happening.  
-  
When he begins to wake up, he feels something warm around him. Blinking away his unexpected nap, Hinata stirs slightly before remembering where he is. The TV is on, credits scrolling up as orchestral music plays softly in the background, and there is an arm around him. He can immediately feel his pulse jump, cursing himself for letting this happen again. As he turns his head, he realizes that Kageyama’s had been resting there. It slides off, and the setter jolts awake at the falling sensation. He doesn’t move his arm.

“Great movie, huh?” He deadpans, gazing down openly. 

All Hinata can think to do is return the sarcasm. “Yeah, totally,” he replies, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. Part of him says that it’s time to get out of this position, it’s totally not advancing his plan of being cool about his crush, but he doesn’t move. In fact, neither does Kageyama. They just sit there, Hinata under his arm as he leans against him. It’s so comfortable and it feels right. He leans up after a moment, looking at Kageyama, and doesn’t even mentally process what he’s about to say before it comes out.

“I like you.”

_Oh my god, why did I say that? Does that count as a confession? What if he doesn’t feel the same way?_

Kageyama stares at him blankly, mouth hanging open a bit before he dumbly says, “What?” He looks shocked, and Hinata really can’t blame him.

“You heard me.” He breathes, eyes shooting to the floor and staying there. There was no going back now.

Suddenly there’s a hand under his chin, angling his face up so that he’s looking at the setter again. His face is so soft and open, an expression that Hinata’s never seen on Kageyama before. He only sees it for a moment, though, before the hand moves to the back of his head and pulls him forward.

When their lips meet, it’s awkward and their noses bump together. Hinata finds that he can’t bring himself to care as Kageyama’s fingers grasp at his orange hair. They break apart after a few seconds, breathing heavier than they had been moments before.

He beams at what he hears next.

“I like you too, dumbass.”


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter begins immediately after the events of chapter 2 and is pretty mushy in some parts. I don't regret it.  
> Also, I'm on tumblr as ikihiyroi if you want to some talk to me about these nerds, or anything really. I hope you enjoy the new chapter! Special thanks to ArmedPenguins for the virtual cookies, they were delicious.

“So, does this mean we’re… Dating now?” Hinata asked sheepishly, gazing up at Kageyama.

“Well, yeah.” The setter replied, not even calling him stupid for asking. He hadn’t removed his hand from Hinata’s hair, and his fingers started to feel through it softly as something that could be called a smile formed on his lips.

At that moment, Hinata’s phone started ringing loudly. He jumped and fumbled for it, eventually answering the call. “Hey Mom.” He said, leaning against Kageyama’s shoulder. “What, is it really?” He glanced at the clock hanging on the wall. The setter followed his eyes and realized with a shock that it was already 9:45. “Yeah, I’ll head that way in a few minutes. Sorry. Bye.” He hung up, looking disappointed. “My mom says I need to come home now.”

Kageyama couldn’t help but find his pouting cute. His fingers ran through the middle blocker’s hair one more time before offering his hand to pull him up from the floor. “I’ll walk you to the door, then.” Hinata grabbed his bag as they made their way to the door, fingers still interlocked. He pulled on his shoes quickly and got out his phone to use as a flashlight on his way home.

“See you tomorrow?” He asked, smiling up.

“Of course idiot, we have school.”

Hinata laughed as he turned the doorknob. “Yeah, you’re right about that.” He said, and Kageyama placed his hand on his shoulder. He looked nervous as he leaned down and placed a kiss on the shorter boy’s cheek.

“Don’t fall down the mountain on the way home.” He said, letting go of his boyfriend’s shoulder.

“I think I’ll manage.” Hinata laughed. “Bye, stupid Kageyama!” He called as he rushed down the stairs and started his way home. That had gone so much better than he could have possibly hoped for.  
-  
In the morning, the two meet up where their roads converge and Kageyama slips his hand into Hinata’s without hesitation. They walk to school like that, wordlessly enjoying each other’s company. It’s still dark out and Hinata occasionally yawns, covering his mouth with his other hand. Kageyama finds it adorable.

When Karasuno comes into view, he feels the middle blocker’s hand loosen and pull away. He can’t help but look down at him and furrow his brow. _Why did he let go?_

Hinata answers the question without it being asked out loud. “I’m sorry! I don’t know if I’m ready to tell the team yet.” He looks so sad and nervous, like he thinks he’s going to be yelled at, and Kageyama feels guilty.

“It’s okay, we can wait.” He breathes, not making eye contact. Before they continue onto campus, he leans down and pulls his boyfriend into a warm hug. They sit like that for a minute or two before pulling completely apart and walking to the club room together.

Like normal, they’re among the first to arrive. They change quickly, Hinata exchanging a few words with Nishinoya and Asahi before he drags Kageyama to the gym. He picks up a ball and throws it to the setter, who starts tossing for him. The two continue like this for a length of time neither of them know as the rest of their team filter in slowly, and Hinata finds himself not having to go retrieve the ball like he had the day before. When Daichi calls for practice to begin, he beams at Kageyama before taking off.

Practice with the whole team flies by. While his spikes don’t always land, there’s a marked improvement over the previous morning practice that doesn’t go unnoticed. Yesterday had been out of sync and awkward and Hinata finds himself high-fiving whoever is closest after a good spike. Multiple time this is Kageyama, and he always returns the show of comradery without hesitation. After practice winds down for the morning and the gym has been cleaned up, Suga approached him with a smile on his face.

“Great job today. I’m glad to see that you’re doing better.” He says, and turns to focus the smile on the other setter for a moment. Without another word, he turns and catches up with the other upperclassmen. Hinata stares for a second before turning to his boyfriend, noticing that they’re the only two left.

“I think he knows.” He says as he looks up at the setter.

“I wouldn’t be surprised. He’s basically everyone’s second mother.” Kageyama muses, fiddling with Hinata’s fingers absentmindedly. “Let’s go.” He says after a moment, pulling his along as he heads toward the door. He catches himself after a moment and reluctantly lets go before exiting the building.  
-  
Kageyama’s day is slow and boring, like always. He sits distantly behind Hinata in most of his classes and stares at his stupid adorable hair, waiting for a break. At lunch, he drags his short teammate outside and sits down under a secluded tree. There’s no one nearby, and he pulls the smaller boy against him as he opens his bento. After sitting stiffly for a moment, Hinata relaxes into it and begins eating his own food. They don’t say much of anything as they eat, but the silence is comfortable. Kageyama finishes his food first and turns his full attention to how he’s wrapped around the middle blocker. If someone were to see them right now, they would be found out immediately. He kept this thought to himself, aware of Hinata’s position on the subject. He wondered why he didn’t want even the team to know, but told himself to not overthink it. He told himself that Hinata just needed some time to enjoy it before inviting the team’s commentary, and satisfied himself with the theory. Then he felt his shoulder being shook. 

“Hellooo? Earth to Kageyama?” Hinata half-shouted, now done with his food. “Toss to me!” He continued, putting his empty lunch container away and jumping to his feet.

“Alright, dumbass, I’m coming.” He said loudly, joining the short boy in the sunlight. They spent the rest of their lunch period tossing, Hinata laughing in enjoyment and Kageyama cracking tiny smiles at him every once in a while. When the bell rang, the shorter groaned before pulling on his jacket and following his boyfriend back inside. 

They returned to their classroom and took their seats, preparing themselves for more boredom as their teacher resumed the lecture they’d been in the middle of before lunch. Kageyama looked forward, not paying attention. His eyes kept shifting back to the head of crazy orange hair at the front of the room, and he found himself having to hold back a dumb smile. Even if they weren’t public, he was happy that Hinata was his. He kept busy through the afternoon alternating between staring at the back of the short player’s head and doodling him in the margins of his notes, not absorbing a single thing his teacher said.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ohohoho boy i wasn't sure i was going to get this posted today! i accidentally deleted my chapters while moving to my new laptop and had to rewrite this. i headcanon kageyama as being a very supportive + protective boyfriend, so that's how i write him. i hope it lives up to your expectations!  
> content advisory: a sweet lil kiss. that is all :)

Hinata continued to behave strangely.

Kageyama wanted to chalk it up to new relationship jitters, he really did, but the way the shorter boy was behaving was sending red flags shooting off in his head. However, he was also new to being in a relationship, and tried to tell himself he was overthinking things.

He didn’t believe himself. Hinata was being oddly distant, and while Kageyama knew he wanted to stay private for the time, he was being cautious enough to make the taller boy worried. Whenever they were alone, Hinata was very physically affectionate. He would crawl under Kageyama’s arm almost immediately and plant kisses wherever he could reach. All of this was done with no prompting and pretty enthusiastically, so Kageyama didn’t think it was a matter of nerves around him. Was it other people? What did he have to worry about? Were his parents homophobic? The thought upset Kageyama. Truthfully, he didn’t know how his own parents felt on the subject, but he hated the thought.

_I should probably just talk to him about it,_ he reasoned. He was deep in thought laying on his bed, the room dark. Without a second thought, he pulled out his phone and scrolled through his contacts.

**you, 22:04**

hey, i want to ask you something.

Sent. Kageyama switched to a mindless game, expecting to have to wait a while for a response. He was shocked to get one within five minutes, switching back eagerly.

**dumbass, 22:10**

yeah?? :0

**you, 22:11**

why don’t you want to tell people we’re dating?

After he sent that one, he felt a tug at his conscience. It had sounded a bit too confrontational for his tastes.

**you, 22:12**

not that we need to go public. i just wanted to know

There was a long break between messages following his question, and Kageyama was starting to regret asking when he heard a ding.

**dumbass, 22:38**

idk

Kageyama almost threw his phone. He had waited for 26 minutes to get three characters, characters that did nothing to help him understand.

**you, 22:38**

i’m pretty sure you do know why, hinata

This time, he only waited for a few minutes. He was grateful to receive an actual response. 

**dumbass, 22:41**

sorry!! aren’t you worried about how people will react?

**you, 22:42**

not enough to hold me back. why are you so worried about it?

**dumbass, 22:45**

no reason, i just don’t know how people at school feel about uh

**dumbass, 22:45**

gay people

Oh. Hinata voicing this fear made Kageyama take pause. He thought hard for a moment before texting back.

**you, 22:47**

why are you so worried about what random strangers think? no one on the team is going to care.

**you, 22:47**

well, tsukishima might. but not in a serious way.

**dumbass, 22:49**

you’re probably right..

**you, 22:50**

look, hinata, if you’re not ready yet we don’t have to tell anyone. i was just curious. i don’t want to keep it a secret forever but for now i understand, ok?

Kageyama put his phone down, feeling somewhat guilty. He hadn’t been trying to pressure Hinata. He turned onto his side, scrolling through different apps as he waited for a reply. Finally, his phone received another message.

**dumbass, 22:57**

would you be ok with a “just tell them if they ask” policy for now??

His brows pulled together, lips pursing. While it seemed kind of odd, it didn’t seem like that bad of a plan.

**you, 22:58**

sure, why not

**dumbass, 23:00**

ok!! i’m going to sleep now. night!! （*＾3＾）/～☆

**you, 23:01**

night, dumbass.

-

They met up the next morning like usual where their roads converge, interlocking fingers as they made their way to the school. Kageyama wasn’t sure what effects their conversation would have on their level of physical contact in public, and he was anxious to find out. He schooled his face to neutral perfection and waited to see.

When Karasuno came into view, he felt Hinata’s hand loosen for a second. Kageyama looked down, not reacting. He wanted Hinata to only do what he was comfortable with. After a moment, though, the shorter boy tightened his hand again and continued walking. Kageyama walked with him, a smile tugging at his lips for a moment before he remembered himself.

They walked toward the club room, not saying much. As they neared the door, Kageyama could feel Hinata grow more tense. He turned to him as they reached the stairs.

“Look, dumbass, don’t feel pressured by me, okay?”

“Huh?” Hinata looked startled, still holding his hand.

Kageyama huffed, raising their joined hand to emphasize his point. “If you don’t want to walk into the club room like this, it’s fine. I’m not going to be pissed at you.”

“Oh,” the shorter boy intoned, looking down. He let their hands come apart and wrapped his arms around Kageyama’s waist. He said something with his face pressed into his chest; it sounded vaguely like “Thank you.”

Kageyama dragged his fingers through his short boyfriend’s hair, enjoying the moment more than he would be likely to ever admit. He knew it had to end, though, and he was still trying to help ease Hinata into going public. “Come on, dumbass, we shouldn’t be late.” He mumbled, pulling back from the embrace to look down at him.

“Okay!” Hinata chirped, suddenly full of his usual energy. They raced up the stairs, Kageyama losing by a hair, and changed quickly before heading to practice.

-

Over the following days, Kageyama noticed Hinata being more physical in public. He seemed to be getting more comfortable with it, leaning into him easier and accepting his touch without checking to see who was nearby first. They had not held hands with other people around, but Kageyama knew that that wasn’t going to happen yet. It would make them too obvious, and he understood that Hinata wasn’t quite ready for that yet.

On Friday, he decided he needed some time alone with his boyfriend. They were changing after practice when he turned to Hinata.

“Want to come to my place?”

“Wh- Right now?” The shorter boy asked, flushing slightly. Kageyama thought it was adorable.

“Yes, right now, dumbass.”

Hinata looked away, pulling his shirt on. “Yeah.” He said, shoving his things into his bag. He put on his shoes, Kageyama already done and waiting. When he was ready to leave, they went together. The setter held the door open for him and they descended the stairs quickly, locking their fingers together without thinking about it.

When they got the bottom of the single flight, Kageyama’s shoulder rammed into someone else’s. He looked back and saw Suga turned toward them, a knowing look on his face. He smiled and called out, “Good night, you two!” as a huge smile blossomed on his face. Kageyama just waved nonchalantly and Hinata shouted a quick “You too!” as he was pulled away.

Once they were outside the school gates, Hinata giggled. “Well, if he didn’t know before, he certainly does now!”

“Yeah,” Kageyama intoned, looking down at him. Hinata seemed amused by that instead of nervous or upset, and it felt like a giant weight lifted from the setter’s shoulders. He stopped abruptly, spinning the shorter boy around to face him. He knew that they were still technically in town, and for the first time that didn’t feel like a problem to him. Reaching out, he hooked his fingers into Hinata’s hair. They both angled their heads to make the kiss more fluid, and as their lips met it felt more natural and good than the first time. Neither of them seemed ready to break away, and they stayed joined like that for a while longer before they both found themselves needing to come up for air. They looked at each other for a long moment before Hinata reached out to intertwine their fingers again, and they walked to Kageyama’s house refusing to look at each other and smiling like idiots.

 

 


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> movie date at kageyama's place :^)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oh my goodness so get ready everyone, i wrote a chapter with making out in it. i hope i did okay; it's been a long time since i've written anything close to smut. also, i hope everyone is okay with my characterization of kageyama's mom. i struggled with it.  
> that being said, this is a day early. i got done early and have decided i don't feel like waiting to post it until tomorrow so ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯  
> this takes place immediately following chapter 4. warnings for making out and... friction. i'm so sorry.  
> enjoy!!

Kageyama pushed open the front door, ushering Hinata inside. They took off their shoes and walked to the living room, faces still lightly dusted with blush from their earlier kiss. Unsure of himself, Kageyama turned to Hinata.

“What do you want to do?” He asked, still clutching the shorter boy’s hand.

“Uh… I don’t know. Movie?” Hinata replied. He gestured to the TV before pulling his hand away to dart over to the cases of DVDs, considering his choices before returning with three.

Kageyama didn’t really look at the options, grabbing one while still looking at Hinata. He set to work, getting the TV on and putting in the movie while the shorter boy made himself comfortable on the couch. Kageyama looked down and realized he was holding his copy of _My Neighbor Totoro_. He smiled to himself and thought about what a cute choice that was. The movie started and he sat down next to Hinata, wrapping his arm around his small frame.

They sat still for all of five minutes before Kageyama felt Hinata turning to face him. One small hand snaked around his waist and the other came up to his neck, leaning him down just enough for Hinata to reach his lips. They both tilted their heads slightly before their lips met, leaning into the kiss. Kageyama brought his hands up to rake through Hinata’s hair as he inhaled between kisses.

After a moment, he felt something wet swipe along the seam of his lips, inviting them to part. _Was that?..._ Kageyama’s lips went slack in surprise and _yes_ , that was definitely Hinata’s tongue pushing eagerly into his mouth. He could tell that this was new for both of them as it moved against the back of his teeth, but it still felt amazing because of who it was. His face heated up as a choked moan made its way out of his throat, and Hinata grabbed his collar in an effort to pull him even closer.

The redhead kept kissing him hungrily, pulling his tongue back into his own mouth and gasping for air before continuing. Kageyama saw this as his opportunity to reciprocate and licked at Hinata’s lips experimentally. He felt his surprised twitch and smiled against his lips. Kageyama kept licking for a few moments longer, making sure he was enjoying it. When Hinata leaned into his touches and kept kissing, he took it as a green light and began to lick inside his mouth. It was a weird sensation, but a good kind of weird. He curled his fingers into the shorter boy’s hair and allowed them to fall still, working to find a good rhythm as he moved his lips and tongue.

Hinata pulled away suddenly, and Kageyama was about to ask what was wrong when he moved onto his knees, placing one on either side of Kageyama’s lap before sitting and grabbing his face. He kissed him hard, first on the mouth before he trailed down across his cheek and ending on his neck. The kisses were long and intense, and they felt amazing.

Kageyama allowed his head to fall against the back of the sofa as Hinata continued, movie long forgotten. His breathing was labored and his face was flushed deep red. Eventually, Hinata pulled his head up to meet him and he resumed kissing his lips. He grabbed at Kageyama’s hair and shifted forward, and they both gasped as their crotches rubbed against each other. Both of them went still, blushing furiously as their eyes locked. And then they heard the sound of keys in the lock of the front door.

“Shit, I thought my mom was working late tonight. Shit.” Kageyama panicked, and he turned Hinata around to sit beside him again. They both smoothed their shirts and hair and trained their eyes on the TV just as the door opened.

“Tobio, I’m home!” A voice sounded from the doorway, not yet aware that he was still in the living room.

“I’m right here, mom.” He responded, turning around to look back at the door.

Kageyama’s mother actually came into view at that point, and Hinata turned around nervously. He was fairly certain they had covered up sufficiently, but this was the moment of truth. She hefted a bag of groceries in one arm as she walked over to the sofa.

“Oh, you have a friend over!” She said, a hint of surprise detectable as she smiled down at him. “Are you on the volleyball team?”

“Yes!” Hinata exclaimed, reaching his hand back for her to shake. “I’m Hinata Shouyou.” He beamed up at her. For some reason, he felt a desperate need to make Kageyama’s mom love him.

“Oh, Hinata! It’s nice to finally meet you. Tobio talks about you a lot.” She smiled slyly when Kageyama spluttered at the comment. “I better put this away,” she said, indicating the large bag. “Enjoy your movie, boys.” And with that, she turned to whisk out of the room.

Both boys watched for a moment before they were sure that they were in the clear. Kageyama covered his face with his hands and groaned. “That was so close.”

Hinata reached up and rubbed circles on his shoulder to comfort him. “Yeah, but it’s fine now, right?” He said hopefully. “We can just watch the movie for now.”

“Yeah, that’s probably best.” Kageyama replied. They both fell silent, eyes trained on the TV. After a few minutes, his mother came back through the living room silently and went to her room. Neither of them felt like risking anything though, so they sat a little bit apart from each other almost stiffly as the movie finished.

The credits rolled, music playing with the colorful slides. Hinata shifted, checking the time on his phone. “I probably need to go home.” He said sadly. Kageyama nodded and they both stood to walk to the entryway together. Hinata pulled on his shoes and picked up his bag before turning to face Kageyama.

“See you tomorrow!” He said happily. Even though they had been interrupted at a rather tense moment, it had still been a great evening.

Kageyama didn’t reply for a moment, turning to look into the home again. He sat quietly for a moment as if he was listening for signs of life. When he reached the conclusion that his mother wouldn’t make a random appearance, he swiftly closed the distance between them. Hinata picked up on the change of atmosphere and stood on the tips of his toes to help him reach. Kageyama’s fingers weaved into his hair like they had during the movie, and they stayed passionately joined at the lips for a long while.

Hinata eventually pulled back, face dusted red as he gasped in a lungfull of air. He smiled brightly and reached up to give a comparatively chaste peck before pulling open the door. “Bye, Bakageyama!” He half-yelled before taking off down the stairs. He was gone quickly, hopping on his bike and taking off at an alarmingly fast speed. Kageyama stood in the doorway until he disappeared from view, crossing his arms and smiling.

“Bye, dumbass Hinata.”

 

 


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> eh really the only warning i have for this chapter is some pretty prevalent heteronormativity. other than that it's a pretty mild chapter. enjoy!!

Kageyama started his day with a grumble, grimacing as he smacked his alarm clock blindly. He went through his morning activities still half asleep. His mind was stuck on images from his time with Hinata the previous evening, and he found himself smiling at the memories. Once he was ready to leave, he realized he was running a few minutes behind. Instead of sitting to eat, he grabbed a granola bar to inhale as he walked.

Due to his lateness, Hinata was nowhere in sight when he came up to the fork they normally met at. He was disappointed, but he supposed it made sense. He was running pretty far behind, and he decided to pick up the pace and jog the rest of the way to school. When he finally made it to the club room and began changing, there were only a few people left. Maybe he was imagining it, but he thought he got a couple of odd looks when he arrived. Kageyama chalked it up to his unusual tardiness and hurriedly began changing, removing his scarf and jacket. After a moment, he heard a low whistle from across the room.

“Kageyama! How’s it going, buddy?” Tanaka asked enthusiastically, clapping him on the back.

“It’d be a lot better if you’d let me finish changing.” He pulled on his shorts.

“Ooooh, sorry! Fight with your girlfriend?” Kageyama’s hands stilled as he tied his shoe.

“My what?”

“Your girlfriend! I mean, I’ll respect your privacy and all, but…” Tanaka made a vague gesture at his own neck, the tiniest hint of bashfulness mixed with his obvious joy at catching his kouhai off guard. Kageyama’s eyebrows furrowed together as he reached to touch his neck, not feeling anything. He stared at Tanaka with a look of angry confusion and waited for an explanation.

“Oh, fine. Come here.” Not that he had much of a choice; Tanaka bodily dragged him to a mirror and angled his head so he could see: littered down the right side of his neck was a cluster of dark marks. Hickeys. He was going to kill Hinata.

“Shit. Oh my god.”

“You really didn’t know? You must have been quite distracted, my sweet, not-so-innocent kouhai! What’s her name, huh?” Kageyama glared. “You know what, never mind. That’s cool. Good for you!” And with that, Tanaka was gone, practically skipping out of the club room to leave him alone.

_What am I going to do?_ He thought, barely holding back from panicking. He couldn’t exactly wear a scarf for practice, and he didn’t have anything else to cover them up with. Hinata was going to die a violent death if he had anything to do with it.

With a sigh, he realized the inevitable: Tanaka knew, so everyone else would within the next couple of minutes. There really wasn’t a point in trying, if he was honest with himself. He resigned himself to the horror of owning up to the marks on display and trudged to the gym.

He decided to not bring it up, desperately wishing that Tanaka would keep his mouth shut and everyone else would just leave it. When the door opened before he even got there, he knew there was no chance. Nishinoya smiled widely, craning his neck to try to see the marks. His eyes widened when he found them.

“Tanaka wasn’t lying! I totally thought he was. Nice job!” The libero slapped him on the back, and it felt like déjà vu. Kageyama pushed the hand away grumpily.

“Let’s not.” He said firmly, forcing his way into the gym. There were a couple more glances, an uneasy smile from Suga, and a smirk from Tsukishima. Then he locked eyes with Hinata.

He looked sick, like he was actually experiencing nausea. Knowing him, he probably was. The look on his face almost made Kageyama reconsider his murder plans. Almost. Kageyama didn’t get the chance to kill him, though, as Nishinoya ran up to him again.

“Who was it? What’s her name? Does she go to school here?” Kageyama jumped at that, cursing himself. He was so transparent. “Ohohoho! She does! Do we know her?”

“No!” Kageyama shouted all too quickly. “Seriously, I don’t want to talk about it.” Oh god, what if they figured it out? He didn’t know if Hinata was ready for that, and his reaction earlier indicated no.

“We totally do!” Tanaka joined in, shock evident on his face. “What year, huh?” No response. His eyes grew wide before he asked, “Not a manager?”

“Nope, no. No. Not them.” He felt like his face was on fire. He searched for Suga desperately, locking eyes and pleading wordlessly for help. “Please stop.”

“Aw, look how red you are!”

“Guys, stop!” That was definitely not Suga. Hinata was standing now, and he came over to the group quickly. “I mean, he said he doesn’t want to talk about it.” His eyes were glued to the floor, and he looked somewhere between embarrassed and sad. Why sad? Kageyama wondered, giving him a puzzled look. When he caught himself and looked away, he saw Nishinoya looking between the two of them.

“He’s right.” Thank god, finally. “Leave it, guys, it’s time to start practice, yeah?” Suga called with a smile on his face. Nishinoya and Tanaka grumbled their assent as everyone began stretches, and Kageyama made eye contact with Suga to mouth a thank you. He was overwhelmed with gratitude. The silver-haired saint just nodded before turning away, and they got on with practice with only the occasional remark to Kageyama.

* * *

It was after practice, and Kageyama had gotten changed in record time. Hinata, however, took his sweet time to change into his school uniform as their teammates trickled out. Once they were alone, Kageyama took a few long strides until he was crowding the shorter boy.

“What the hell, Hinata? What if my mom had seen?” He was trying to be quiet, but not really succeeding. Hinata jumped at his sudden proximity.

“I’m sorry! I didn’t know! Do you want a band-aid or something? I don’t really have anything else.” Hinata looked so guilty that Kageyama could feel himself deflating.

“Yeah.”

Hinata hurriedly dug through his bag, handing him a few bandages. Kageyama went to the mirror and secured one to cover the top couple of marks, buttoning his jacket all the way up to mask the others. He shoved the other bandages into his pocket and mumbled a quick “thanks” as he gathered his things. Suddenly, he felt Hinata slam against his back and wrap his arms around his midsection as he pressed his face into his back.

“Sorry.” His voice was small and muffled through the fabric, and it showed how much he truly meant it.

“It’s okay.” Kageyama found himself saying softly. “There’s not really anything you can do about it, so don’t worry about it.”

“I still feel bad.”

“Don’t.” Kageyama pulled back, turning around to envelop Hinata in a tight hug. He buried his face in the shorter boy’s hair, inhaling and exhaling as he relaxed. Neither of them heard the door open, but Kageyama jumped when it slammed closed.

“it’s just me.” Suga said gently. “Sorry, I forgot my hat.” He apologized, tugging the fabric onto his head. The two boys were standing apart from each other now, and he looked between them with a soft expression. “You know, no one’s going to judge you if you tell them. Don’t feel pressured or anything, but they’re all pretty accepting. They wouldn’t treat you any differently.” Both boys nodded. “Okay, I’m going to class now. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t!” He was almost out the door when he turned and locked eyes with Hinata. “Oh, and in the future, leave them somewhere less noticeable. Maybe the shoulders? Just a suggestion.” And then he was gone, door closing behind him loudly. Kageyama balked for a second before turning to face Hinata.

“Do you want to tell them?” The words were out of Kageyama’s mouth before he thought about them, and he turned to Hinata for his response.

“Yeah,” he whispered, still looking at the door. “Suga’s right, isn’t he?” Hinata met his eyes, and he looked determined, albeit nervous.

“Of course he is, dumbass.”

“Okay then. Practice this afternoon? Or is that too soon?”

“No, that sounds okay.”

“Okay.”

They stood there for a moment, silent. This was really happening, and Kageyama found himself more excited than anything. He was prepared for a few lighthearted jokes, but he was ready to not have to sneak around anymore. He took Hinata’s hand as they walked to the door, already mentally preparing for afternoon practice. There were a bunch of questions going through his mind: how would they tell them, before or after practice, would they do it or ask Suga to, and the biggest one of all…

How would everyone react?

 

 


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> coming out to the team n stuff (ﾉ´ヮ´)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> okay so, i'd like to apologize for the shortness of this chapter. i just felt like i'd gotten to a good stopping point, and thought lengthening it just to give more to read wasn't the best policy to follow. idk, i'm probably going to post another mini-chapter this week to make up for it. i'm posting this a day earlier than normal because i'll be traveling tomorrow, and wanted to be early instead of late.  
> that being said, my warning for this chapter is there is some reference to homophobia in this chapter. proceed with that in mind. i hope you like it, even though it's a bit angsty! (ﾉ´ヮ´)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧

After further planning, Kageyama had given control of the announcement to Hinata so he would be completely okay with how they came out. This meant that in the end their relationship was revealed after lots of mumbling and avoiding eye contact.

“We’re dating.” Hinata had forced out, barely audible to even Kageyama as he stood right beside him.

“What was that? Can’t hear you when you talk to the floor, buddy!” Who was that? Couldn’t they tell that Hinata was nervous?

“He said we’re dating, stupid.” He said angrily, crossing his arms. “Does anyone have a problem with that?” Kageyama scanned the club room. Everyone had stopped in various states of dress when Suga called for their attention, and they all had blank looks of surprise on their faces.

“Wha- Seriously?” Asahi asked, tugging at his shirt nervously.

“Yes.”

_“Dammit!”_ Tanaka yelled. Kageyama looked at him with his eyebrows drawn together, a grimace immediately appearing on his face. The confusion went away when he saw the bald boy slam a 1000 Yen bill into Nishinoya’s waiting hand, and he balked.

“You were taking bets?!” Hinata screeched, having apparently found his voice.

“Easy money!” Nishinoya was positively beaming as he pocketed the crumpled money. He walked up to the two boys and put a hand on each of their shoulders. “I knew you had it in you. I’m happy for you!”

Hinata let out his held breath in a loud sigh of relief, and Kageyama could see him relax his tense shoulders. The shorter boy chuckled nervously, rubbing at the back of his head as he smiled. “Really?” And he really sounded like he couldn’t believe it. It made Kageyama’s chest hurt.

“Yes, really! Why wouldn’t we be?” Many of the other players made some noise or gesture of agreement, and Suga came up behind the two to rub circles on Hinata’s back.

“Well, I think that’s all they needed your attention for. Right?” He looked to the shorter boy’s face and saw him nod. “Yep! Thanks for listening, guys. You’re free to go.”

One by one, members of the volleyball team trickled out of the club room. Kageyama and Hinata were among the last to leave, descending the stairs quickly with their fingers intertwined. The setter was glad to be out to the team, but something seemed amiss with his boyfriend. He squeezed his hand and looked down at him.

“Is something wrong?” He asked, meeting Hinata’s eyes when he looked up.

“No! No. They took it really well.”

_Took it well?_ “Hinata, we weren’t leaving the team or something. They’re all idiots, but they’re good people.”

“I know that.” He sounded like he had something else to say, but he remained silent as they continued walking and trained his eyes on the ground.

“I’m not an idiot, I can tell something’s wrong. What is it?” That came out more harshly than he’d meant for it to. Kageyama mentally scolded himself. When Hinata eventually said something, it was in that same quiet, nervous voice he’d used in the club room. “What?”

“I can’t tell my parents, Kageyama. I just-” He took a shuddering breath. “I can’t. I’m sorry.”

“If you need more time, that’s okay.”

“That’s not what I mean. I can’t ever tell them.”

“Oh.” _Oh._ So he’d been right about Hinata’s parents. “So, they’re?...” He found himself at a loss for words. Kageyama really hadn’t wanted to be right about this.

“Yeah.” Hinata sounded so vulnerable as he admitted it, and Kageyama felt horrible.

“Okay, definitely don’t tell them. I’m sorry.” Was he apologizing on Hinata’s parents’ behalf, or for upsetting him himself? He wasn’t sure. “I have another question, in that case.”

“Hm?”

“Is it okay with you if I tell my family? I honestly don’t know how they’ll react, but I’d like for them to know.” A pause. “I mean- As long as you’re okay with that.”

“Uh, yeah. Just… As long as they don’t tell mine anything.”

“I’ll make sure they don’t.” And with that, Kageyama leaned down and planted a chaste kiss in Hinata’s lips. They continued walking, and when they came to the fork in the road, the shorter boy seemed unwilling to let go.

“Let me know how it goes, if you tell them tonight. Okay?”

“Okay.”

They let go somewhat reluctantly, and Hinata sent him a dazzling smile. “See you tomorrow!” He took off down his road, not waiting for much of a response. Kageyama turned to walk to his house, noting that he was usually home by now. He walked home, deciding on how to best come out to his parents.

* * *

**you, 21:09**

hey

Kageyama stared at the ceiling, dazed. He didn’t know whether or not to expect a quick reply. After a few minutes, his phone buzzed.

**dumbass, 21:13**

hey! did u tell them??

**you, 21:14**

yeah

The reply was near-instant.

**dumbass, 21:14**

and?? what did they say

**you, 21:15**

they said they weren’t surprised. i mean, what kind of response is that?

**dumbass, 21:16**

so they’re okay with it?

**you, 21:18**

yes, idiot. they want to meet you though, if you’re cool with it.

**dumbass, 21:19**

oh

**dumbass, 21:20**

sure, when?

**you, 21:22**

not sure, they just brought up the idea. i’ll ask tomorrow.

**dumbass, 21:23**

okay!

They kept talking for a couple of hours, nothing else particularly huge discussed. They simply enjoyed talking to each other as they did homework, chores, and anything else they needed to do.

**you, 23:32**

okay, i’m going to sleep.

**dumbass, 23:33**

oh wow i didn’t realize it was this late!! goodnight bakageyama ♡✧。 (⋈◍＞◡＜◍)。✧♡

Dammit, that was cute. Where did he find those?

**you, 23:35**

night, dumbass.

**you, 23:36**

♡

 

 


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i know this is later than normal, and for that i apologize! i had such bad writer's block this week, and was just able to get this done this morning. i hope you enjoy it.  
> just so you know, i'm going to be looking for a good closing point in the next few chapters. i've enjoyed writing this fic, but i'm ready to move onto a new project and most of what i had planned for this story has already transpired at this point. i'll update you as i plan more thoroughly :)  
> warnings: just a bit of smoochin'

The next Friday night found Kageyama and Hinata at the setter’s house. Once Hinata had gotten over his nerves, the dinner and conversation had been effortless. Kageyama’s parents loved him. They had loved him even before the two boys had entered a relationship, which they had been sure to clarify; Hinata had giggled and blushed at the compliments.

It was now late evening and the meal was over, and the boys sat alone in the living room. The TV was on, playing some documentary about space with the volume so low it was barely audible. It went mostly unnoticed. The two pretended to pay attention, but they were both focused on their interlocked fingers as they moved against each other’s hands. This was the first time they had been alone in days. Kageyama found himself feeling a bit pent-up; there wasn't much he wanted to do more in this moment than feel Hinata's stupid cute hair and kiss him hard. So that's what he did.

He moved without really realizing it. One second they were blankly watching the scientific show on screen and the next Kageyama's fingers were tangled in orange as he kissed Hinata hungrily. The shorter boy was still for a moment before grasping the sudden change in atmosphere and leaning into his touch. Kageyama turned until he was facing sideways with his feet on the couch as Hinata once again straddled him. Their kisses were initially fueled by their shared frustrations at the recent lack of alone time, but the energy quickly devolved into slow and deep kisses that weren't purely sexual.

They went like that for who knows how long before pulling back. Hinata hummed happily and settled down beside Kageyama, now lying down the length of the couch. He closed his eyes and smiled as he nuzzled into the setter's side.

* * *

The next thing Kageyama knew, his shoulder was being shaken lightly. He opened his eyes groggily and saw his mother looming over him - no, them. Hinata was wrapped around his midsection under his arm. He felt a blush rise to his cheeks.

"It's getting kind of late, Tobio. Is he staying the night?"

He looked down at at Hinata, shrugging lightly. He shook the shorter boy's shoulder gently as he whispered, "Hey, Shou." His mother nodded and walked to the kitchen as the redhead began to wake up.

"Hm?"

Kageyama pulled out his phone to check the time. "It's 9:13. Are you staying here for the night?"

"I probably can't. My parents..." The shorter boy got out his own phone and stiffened when he saw the notifications on screen. "I- I should probably call my mom back." He touched the contact name and held the phone to his ear. The volume was so loud that Kageyama could hear the dial tone clearly. Someone picked up after the second ring and immediately launched into what sounded like a tirade of rapid-fire questions he didn't have time to answer. "Mom-" he was cut off. "Mom..." She kept talking as if he wasn't even there. Hinata fell silent and let her keep talking, an annoyed expression on his face. Eventually, she ran out of steam and was quiet for the first time since the call had started. "I'm at a friend's house. Sorry I didn't pick up, my phone was on silent in my bag. He offered for me to stay the nigh-" he was cut off again, and while Kageyama couldn't understand everything said, he picked up one repeated word: no, no, no. He frowned. Hinata kept listening and eventually gasped before responding. "Oh, that's right! I'm sorry. I'll head that way in a minute. Bye."

"No?" Kageyama confirmed tersely. Hinata nodded as he pushed up from the couch.

"I'm supposed to watch Natsu starting tomorrow morning. My parents are going to be out of town for the weekend. I completely forgot!"

A flash of something like excitement went through Kageyama and he pushed it down quickly. “I’ll walk you.” He said, following Hinata to the entryway where they both pulled on their shoes. “Oh, hold on. I need to tell my mom.” Hinata told him okay and waited as he made his way to the kitchen.

“So?” His mother prompted as soon as he entered the room.

“His mom needs him to go home. He’s supposed to watch his little sister this weekend. I’m going to walk him home- I mean, if that’s okay.”

“It is. You have a flashlight, right?” Kageyama waved his phone at her to confirm. “Okay. See you in a bit. Tell him we enjoyed his company.” He sent her a thumbs-up as he left. “And don’t walk through the living room with your dirty shoes on!”

“Sorry!” He pulled Hinata out of the door with him, making sure the door closed behind them. They made their way down the stairs and to the road quickly and slowed to a walk. Kageyama pulled out his phone as they left the light near his home and turned on the flashlight, holding it in his right hand as the gravel crunched under their feet. Hinata reached over and threaded his fingers with Kageyama’s without looking.

They didn’t talk much on their walk. It was normal for them at this point; simply being in each other’s company seemed to be enough for both of them and they talked all day at school. The silence was comfortable, and they walked the entire way fingers threaded together and shoulders lightly bumping with each step they took.

Once they turned at the fork in the road, Kageyama felt the tiniest tug of sadness as he knew they’d be there soon. It didn’t help when Hinata sighed and pulled his hand away. The taller boy knew it wasn’t because he didn’t want to hold his hand, but he still didn’t like it. He stopped walking and Hinata noticed immediately.

“What’s up?” His face communicated the hint of worry he felt.

In response, Kageyama wrapped his arms around the shorter boy and rested his head on the red hair underneath him. He felt a bit embarrassed for some reason and pushed the feeling down as he pulled back and nodded down the road before walking again. Hinata smiled and didn’t question him.

They were in front of the shorter boy’s house sooner than either of them wanted to be. Both boys stood in the road, unmoving as they prolonged their evening. They were standing slightly apart from each other out of paranoia - lights were still on in the house and neither of them wanted to risk being found in an incriminating position.

“My mom said she had a good time.” Kageyama said awkwardly.

“Yeah, I did, too!” Hinata seemed more at ease for once, which made the taller boy feel relief. “You know, you could come over some time this weekend if you want. Natsu will be here, but we could watch a movie or something.”

“Yes!” Kageyama replied a bit too eagerly. Hinata snickered at him lightly. Suddenly, the front door opened and a silhouette filled the frame.

“Shouyou, you need to say goodnight to your friend now! I need help getting bags from the attic.”

“Okay, I’ll be right there!” He shouted back. “Well, I guess I’ll be going now.”

“Yeah.”

“Oh, don’t be like that! I’ll probably see you tomorrow.” He teased, holding back from playfully hitting his arm. “Night, Bakageyama!”

And with that, the short redhead bolted up the path to his house. He waved as he shut the door, and Kageyama turned back to the road he’d just walked down. As he made his way home, he smiled to himself. He was already excited about the next day. A smile appeared in his face as he walked, and then his phone made a small ding from his pocket.

**dumbass, 21:37**

bring movies tomorrow (ﾉ´ヮ´)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧

**you, 21:38**

ok dumbass

He shoved his phone back into his pocket, feeling the stupid smile that was plastered on his face. He had it bad, and he really didn’t mind. The rest of the walk home, he considered what he might bring with him tomorrow; when he eventually fell asleep that night there was a huge stack of DVD boxes by his door.

 

 


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is a bit longer than standard, i hope that's okay! enjoy (ﾉ^ヮ^)ﾉ*:・ﾟ✧

The next morning, Kageyama checked his phone to find two texts already waiting for him.

**dumbass, 08:32**

i’m up so you can come over whenever!!

**dumbass, 08:35**

oh, and i don’t have popcorn. sorry :/

The tall boy shoved his phone into the pocket of his sweatpants. He realized that even though he’d said he could come over, he’d forgotten to get permission. There wasn’t any real reason for his mother to say no. He left his room to find her and ask.

Kageyama found her in the living room, sipping tea as the TV played softly. He wasted no time getting straight to it.

“Is it okay if I go to Hinata’s today?”

She didn’t even look away from the TV, her reply nearly immediate. “Sure. Be home for dinner, though, okay? We’re eating at 6.”

“Okay, thanks.”

After that, he went to the kitchen - while his idiot boyfriend didn’t have popcorn for a movie day, he did. Kageyama grabbed a few bags and went to get ready.

* * *

He stood on the porch at Hinata’s house, confused. After ringing the bell, there hadn’t been an answer. Kageyama got out his phone and looked at his texts. Sure enough, there was the evidence - Hinata told him himself that he was up and ready for him to come over. He knocked on the door, more insistent this time. Where was he?

After another minute or two, it became apparent that the first time hadn’t been a fluke and nobody was home. Kageyama pulled out his phone and dialed Hinata angrily. Making him wait like this with no explanation was fucking rude. He picked up after the fourth ring, sounding out of breath.

“Hey, Kageyama!”

“Where are you, dumbass? You told me to come over and you’re not even here.”

“O- Oh. Are you at my house already?”

“Obviously.”

He heard a gasp from the other end of the line.

“I’m sorry! I told you I didn’t have popcorn, but what kind of movie day would it be without popcorn? We went to buy some! We’ll be right there!”

“What? I thought you were asking me to bring popcorn! I took a bunch from my house.”

At that moment, a shock of orange shot into view. Hinata tore down the road at an almost full-on sprint, a little girl squealing with joy as she sat on his shoulders. He held a shopping bag in one hand and her ankles with the other. Kageyama found the sight absurd and almost laughed as they approached him. He looked at his phone in his hand and realized the call had already been ended; he put it back in his pocket.

Hinata slowed to a walk before stopping at the walkway to the door. He helped his little sister off of his shoulders and put her on the ground, ruffling her fluffy hair and smiling wide. Then, he ran and wrapped Kageyama in a bone-crushing hug.

“Hi!” He said, practically beaming as he pulled away to open the front door. He waved Kageyama forward. “Come on in!”

The taller boy scowled but obeyed, trudging forward into the small house. He felt a tug on his right pant leg and looked down to see Natsu grabbing the fabric. She looked up at him with a blank face and he instantly felt extremely uncomfortable. Kageyama had never been good with children.

That made another thought occur to him. He looked through the movies he’d brought and realized that the choices weren’t exactly child-oriented; most were action flick that he knew had bad language and lots of violence in them. He didn’t want to be responsible for upsetting Hinata’s little sister.

“Uh…” He started as he followed his boyfriend into the kitchen. “Hinata.”

“Hm?” The shorter boy started a bag of popcorn in the microwave before turning around. He leaned back on the counter and looked at him with a small smile on his face.

“Ah… We probably can’t watch these.” Kageyama shoved the stack of DVDs into his hands and crossed his arms, not meeting his eyes. He berated himself. How stupid, he thought, of course his little sister is watching with us.

Hinata’s lips pressed into a tight smile like he was holding back laughter. He flipped through the small stack and his lips kept turning up at the corners before a laugh bursted out.

“Of course we can’t! Die Hard, Bakageyama? Really?” He was really laughing now, not even trying to hold it in.

“Shut up, dumbass!”

“I’m the dumbass?” Hinata chortled. “You brought a bunch of gory action movies to watch with a little girl!”

Kageyama grabbed his hair and glowered, fuming. After a moment, he realized how silly he was being and let go of the orange fluff. “Fine, what do you have, then?”

* * *

In the end, they gathered around the living room TV to watch some American children’s movie about living toys. Kageyama would never admit it, but he ended up really enjoying it. The movie was funny and even slipped in some jokes for older audiences without making Natsu question it. He found himself feeling disappointed when it was over.

“Okay!” Hinata said suddenly as the credits rolled, “It’s your turn to choose!”

Kageyama didn’t even fight it, walking over to the case of DVDs beside the TV. He found the appropriate choices - the bright colors made them easy to spot - and began glancing through them. His choice was made for him when he found a sequel to their first movie, and he quickly switched out the disks before returning to his place on the floor beside Hinata. As soon as the first trailer started, the redhead groaned.

“Are you serious? You wanted more Toy Story?”

“Shut up, dumba- Shut up. It was my choice.”

Hinata slapped his arm lightly, his near slip up not going unnoticed. He was smiling though, and he leaned against Kageyama’s shoulder when the movie started. Natsu was sitting on his other side, and had been great so far. She simply enjoyed the movies and paid the boys no mind, laughing at the antics on screen too much to keep tabs on them.

When the movie ended, there was a light snore coming from Hinata’s other side. Kageyama leaned forward and saw the source: Natsu was asleep curled on the ground. He found it kind of adorable. Hinata moved away from him and stood, easily picking up his little sister.

“I’ll be right back.” He whispered. Kageyama nodded before he turned down a hallway to carry Natsu to her room. The setter stood and started folding her discarded blanket. They left his view, and after a moment he heard a door close softly before Hinata reappeared.

“We can watch one of those if you want.” He nodded to Kageyama’s movies, smiling. “She should be asleep for a couple of hours.” Was that a wink? Kageyama wasn’t sure, but he shrugged and gestured to them.

“Go ahead and pick one, then. It’s your turn.”

“Cool!” He jumped in excitement and flipped through the choices as if he didn’t remember what was there. Kageyama realized that he had probably forgotten and smiled. Part of him considered that that would have made him mad in the past, but he didn’t pay the thought much mind. It wasn’t like it was a big deal or anything.

He should’ve realized he had a problem when he didn’t even register what movie started playing. Now that they were alone (kind of), Kageyama couldn’t help but feel distracted. Hinata seemed to have the opposite problem, though - this movie was much more his speed and he was too absorbed to notice the intensity with which he was being stared down. Hoping to communicate his feelings, Kageyama moved closer to him and put his arm around his shoulders.

When Hinata finally looked away from the screen to his face, their eyes locked. Kageyama immediately dove and kissed at his neck. The reaction wasn’t what he was expecting; Hinata started giggling and pushed him back.

“Natsu’s right down the hall! What if she wakes up?”

“We’re only, like, 20 minutes into the movie. You said we’d probably have a couple of hours.”

“Yeah, probably! As in she could still wake up and see us!”

Kageyama pulled back and looked at him. “If you really don’t want to, that’s okay, but I really think it’s going to be fine. We’ll hear her if she wakes up. She’s not particularly quiet, you know.”

“Yeah, I guess that’s true.”

Both boys sat still, Hinata warding off the last vestiges of his worry and Kageyama working to not rush him. The shorter seemed to consider for a moment longer, hesitation fading as he took a final glance down the dark hallway. He turned to Kageyama again.

“If you hear anything, we stop immediately. Okay?”

“Yeah, absolutely.”

And then Hinata’s lips were on his. Kageyama gasped at the sudden onslaught but quickly caught up, closing his eyes and running his hands up to grasp at his soft hair. Hinata hummed happily and Kageyama could feel his mouth pull into a smile as he continued kissing. After a few minutes, his lips started to trail away from Kageyama’s - first the corner of his mouth, his cheek, his jawline. The taller boy knew where he was aiming to reach and put his hand over his neck before the kiss could land.

“Not again. I’m not going home for dinner with hickeys.”

Hinata pouted, but didn’t fight him on it. “Ugh, fine.” Kageyama chuckled, he actually chuckled, at his adorable reaction and kissed the frown off of his face.

“This is good, though,” he mumbled against his lips.

“Good,” Hinata replied. They didn’t talk much after that, conversation tapering off as they completely forgot the movie and their surroundings.

And then Kageyama heard a toilet flush from down the hallway.

“Hinata.”

He was ignored.

“Hinata!”

“Hm?”

“I think Natsu’s up.”

“What? What makes you think that?”

Kageyama pushed him off and sat up just as the little girl in question came into view. He could feel Hinata stiffen next to him for a second before he switched back into big brother mode. The redhead fumbled for the remote, pausing the movie during a slow moment of the plot. Kageyama looked and found that they had been “watching” The Avengers.

“Hey, Natsu!” Hinata said, voice a bit high. He stood quickly and went to ruffle her hair again, something Kageyama had seen him do quite a few times during this visit. “You want something to eat?”

“Rice balls!”

“Oh, you want brussel sprouts?” He joked, hands on his hips.

“Noooo! Rice balls!”

“Oooh, mushrooms? Okay!”

“No, Shou-chan! Rice balls!”

“Rice balls?”

“Yeah!” She squealed.

“Yum! Follow me!” And then he ran to the kitchen, Natsu on his heels. They were both laughing and enjoying themselves, and Kageyama watched quietly. He heard the rustling of a paper bag from the next room. A moment later, the two came back. Natsu had a rice ball in her hands, already partially eaten, and Hinata had two. He handed one to Kageyama as he ejected the movie.

“Natsu! You wanna pick a movie?”

She didn’t actually say yes, but the way she shoved the rest of the rice ball into her mouth and ran to the cabinet showed that she was very excited to pick. After considering her choices, she bounded over the Hinata with a blue box in her hands. He giggled as he put the disk in and glanced at Kageyama when the screen lit back up. She had chosen My Neighbor Totoro.

It felt like a sort of inside joke now. This movie held a strong reminder of what had transpired last time, and Kageyama had to shut that thought down. As the familiar movie started, Hinata cuddled against his side and Natsu climbed into her brother’s lap. He actually paid attention this time around, arm tucked around Hinata the whole movie. As the credits filled the screen with bright colors, he noticed that it was starting to look darker outside. He pulled out his phone to check the time and almost swore. It was 5:43.

“O- Oh. I really need to go.”

“What?” Hinata sounded so disappointed that he genuinely considered standing up his parents.

“I’m supposed to be home at six.” He explained, turning the screen to face him. Hinata’s eyes grew wide.

“Well, you better get going, then!”

Kageyama hurried to the doorway and tugged his shoes on without untying them. Hinata appeared in the entryway and leaned against the wall, looking almost expectant. Once he had his jacket on, Kageyama glanced into the living room. He didn’t see Natsu, so he scooped Hinata up into his arms and kissed him deeply. Satisfied, he simply said, “Bye,” before pulling open the door and breaking into a sprint.

He got home at 6:03.

 

 


	10. Chapter 10

Monday night found Kageyama laying on his bed, a hint of anxiety making its way into his mind. Since getting home from practice, he hadn’t heard anything from Hinata - odd since he normally barely got five minutes at his house before the texts started. He picked up his phone for the umpteenth time and found what he knew he would: no new messages.

This was so unlike Hinata, and it made him worry. What if the idiot had fallen into a ditch or something? The rational part of Kageyama’s mind told him that he was blowing this out of proportion, and that Hinata had probably just gotten distracted when he got home.

He was glad for a distraction in the form of doing the dishes, his indefinite punishment for being late for dinner on Saturday. In all honesty, he didn’t mind doing the dishes, especially now - it gave him something to do while still allowing his mind to wander. What was Hinata up to, he wondered?

When Kageyama was done, he returned to his room to find his phone still devoid of messages.

_If you’re so desperate to talk to him, text him yourself,_ he thought to himself, and damn if that wasn’t a good thought. He went to their thread and typed out an eloquent message:

**you, 22:01**

what’s up

Sent. He put the phone back on his nightstand and busied himself with English homework, an impressive feat in itself. Kageyama’s disdain for English was alive and well, but he felt a need for distraction. He hadn’t realized how much he depended on Hinata’s evening texts to entertain him until he wasn’t receiving them.

Time ticked by slowly, and as the clock got closer and closer to 11 his phone continued to sit quietly. Kageyama bitterly wondered if it was mocking him. He wanted to text again, but figured that Hinata was asleep by this point. Groaning in frustration, he plugged in his phone and switched off his lights. He tugged the covers over his head and grumbled as he fell asleep.

* * *

In the morning, there was still nothing. Kageyama’s final move of desperation was to call, something he normally hated. He hit the phone icon by Hinata’s picture and held the phone to his ear.

It went straight to voicemail. What the fuck? Kageyama glared at his phone, as if this was its fault. He dialed again, sure that Hinata must just have spotty service, and once again he listened to the automated message saying that Hinata’s voicemail box hadn’t been set up yet. With a start, he realized that his distraction had caused his to run low on time. Not for the first time since their relationship had begun, Kageyama found himself eating a granola bar as he hurried down his road.

He was partially expecting Hinata to not be there when he reached the meeting of their roads, but there he was.

“Why haven’t you been answering your phone?” Were the first words out of his mouth when he decided he was in earshot. Hinata’s hand stilled mid-wave as his smile fell, his expression turning sheepish.

“O-oh, yeah, about that…” He chuckled nervously and rubbed his hand through the back of his hair. “I kind of got grounded last night. My mom took my phone.”

“What? Why?”

Kageyama’s questions overlapped Hinata’s final statement.

“She found out that we’re dating.”

Both sat in silence for a moment as Kageyama processed this information.

“Holy shit.” He breathed, coming to his senses. “Wait, wait, how? Are you okay? You didn’t get kicked out or anything, did you?”

“Ah, maybe we should talk about this later?”

“No. No. We’re talking about this right now.”

Hinata breathed out and looked at the ground for a moment, like he had to gather his thoughts. He started down the road, and Kageyama fell into step beside him. “Okay. So for starters, no, I didn’t get kicked out.”

Kageyama felt his breath come out in a loud, relieved whoosh. He remained quiet, urging Hinata to continue with his silence.

“So I got home last night and my mom was sitting at the table waiting for me, which always means she has something serious to talk about. I was really nervous, you know? She told me to sit and then she asked me if I made it a habit to kiss my friends.”

_Oh._

Apparently this thought came out of Kageyama’s mouth, too, because Hinata chuckled softly.

“Yeah. So without thinking I said no, and she told me, ‘Well, that’s interesting because Natsu told me she saw you kiss your friend when she got in trouble for doing the same thing at school today.’ And then it all connected for me, so I tried to backpedal and say that I’d forgotten that you must have kissed my cheek platonically or something, but she wasn’t buying it. She asked who it was and I told her it was you.”

“Okay.” He said, tone encouraging him to keep going.

“And then she asked if I was dating you. I knew she knew and lying would just make it worse so I told her yes.”

Hinata paused again, taking a shuddering breath that made Kageyama frown.

“She wasn’t happy. She started ranting about personal responsibility and how I needed to watch what I did in front of Natsu because I’m her big brother, and then she asked me for my phone. She turned it off and told me she wasn’t sure when she’d give it back, but that she needed some time to think. I don’t really know what that’s supposed to mean though…” He trailed off and looked at the ground sadly.

“Is there anything I can do?” It came out of Kageyama’s mouth on instinct, not knowing what else to offer in the moment.

“Nah, I think I just have to wait it out, really. She seemed more mad about Natsu seeing us than the actual kiss, which isn’t as bad.”

Kageyama saw Hinata’s face and wasn’t entirely convinced that he was fine. However, he’d gotten a lot of information out of him and decided to not push him for more.

“Okay.”

“Yeah.”

They walked awkwardly for a moment before Hinata broke the silence.

“Aren’t we going to be late at this point?”

“Oh no. Um. Yeah.”

Without discussing it, the two boys broke into a sprint for the remainder of their trip. They burst into the club room with five minutes remaining until practice began and changed quickly before racing to the gym. When they made it inside, next to no one paid them any mind - except for Nishinoya and Tanaka.

“Ooooooh, you two were almost late!” Tanaka crowed. “Did you lose track of time while you were sucking on each other’s faces?”

Nishinoya chortled behind him, not even trying to stifle his laughter. Kageyama’s face twisted in disgust as he pushed past them, pulling Hinata with him.

“Come on, Hinata.” He said, scowling. Hinata followed behind them with a frown pulling at the corners of his mouth. Tanaka and Nishinoya seemed to notice, because their boisterous laughter tapered off as they walked away. “Are you sure you’re fine?” Kageyama asked quietly, watching his face carefully.

“Yeah!”

He still wasn’t sure he believed that, but at that moment Daichi called for practice to start and he didn’t get another opportunity to inquire throughout morning practice. Hinata did okay, but he was slightly absent. He missed a few receives he should have been able to make and almost messed up the freak quick once, but nobody other than Suga seemed to really notice a difference. As the team trudged to the club room, he hung back.

“Kageyama, can I talk to you for a minute?”

Kageyama’s eyebrows furrowed together even though he wasn’t that surprised by the question.

“Sure.” He walked over to his upperclassman, taking a long swig from his water as the last few people made their way out. Once they were alone, Suga asked the question Kageyama knew he was going to ask.

“Is Hinata okay? He seemed off during practice.”

“Ah-” His breath caught, unsure what was okay to share. “Yeah.” He hated how high-pitched that came out.

Suga obviously didn’t believe him. His face scrunched up in thought and his lips pulled into a taut line.

“It’s just… Family stuff.”

“Is everything alright?” Suga asked in concern.

“Yeah, yeah. It’s just…” He took a breath. “His mom kind of found out about us and wasn’t happy about it.”

This seemed to not ease Suga’s concerns at all. He worried his lip for a moment, clearly pouring over what he’s just learned. “And… Is it okay? I mean, his mom’s not being bad to him?”

“Well, he got grounded but I’m not really sure. It’s okay for now at least.”

“If you’re sure.” Suga trailed off. They stood in awkward silence for a moment.

“Uh, c- can I go?”

“Yeah, Kageyama, you can go.”

“Okay. See you later, then.”

And with that, he walked away, Suga following a moment later to change before classes. Hinata was waiting for Kageyama at the top of the stairs. He changed quickly and joined the shorter boy, walking him to class as he talked animatedly about who knows what.

He’d have to check up on Hinata’s situation with his mom as it progressed, but for now he reasoned that there wasn’t much he could do. Kageyama contented himself with the fact that he seemed to have cheered up since they’d met up that morning. As they took their seats and class began, Kageyama allowed himself to relax. Everything would be fine.

 

 


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hi!! sorry this chapter is late ;-; i had some pretty intense irl drama to deal with and then i was attacked by writer's block.   
> enough of my excuses, though! i hope you enjoy the new chapter :)

Hinata seemed distant all week long. Kageyama didn’t want to press too hard and upset him, but he was starting to get worried about his boyfriend. He continued to fall behind slightly during practice, much to Kageyama’s anger, and his mind always seemed to be elsewhere. On this particular evening, this meant that Hinata actually walked home without Kageyama, and also without his homework.

The short redhead had changed and left in such a short period of time that Kageyama didn’t even realize he’d left for a few minutes. When he did, he huffed out angrily. It was at this moment that he zeroed in on the tattered folder with Hinata’s name scrawled on the outside. He opened it and cursed to himself - it was full of homework he knew to be due the next morning.

“Dammit, Hinata.” He said, mostly to himself. A hand came down lightly on his shoulder and he spun around to face Suga.

“Hey. Isn’t that Hinata’s?”

“Yeah. I don’t even know why it was out of his bag, but this is all due tomorrow so I’m gonna take it to him.”

Suga seemed like he had a lot to say. His lips were in a tight line again, and his face took on a sad quality as he looked from the folder to Kageyama’s face. All he said was, “Okay.” With that, he picked up his own things.

They were among the last people in the club room, and Suga ushered out the stragglers before locking the door. Everyone went their separate ways, and he waved to Kageyama before picking up a slight jog to catch up to Daichi.

Kageyama felt himself at a bit of a loss. He took off in the general direction of his and Hinata’s houses, and then went down the right road when he came to the fork. As the house came into view, he considered what he was doing. He didn’t know if Hinata’s mother was home, and he didn’t know how he would react if she was. What if she opened the door? What if he was making things worse by coming here unannounced? He stood still in the road, looking down the path leading to the front door. Hinata needed this stuff tonight, that much he knew.

The plan he settled on was as follows: sneakily leave the folder on the porch, ring the doorbell, go away before he’s seen. It was childish and Kageyama knew it, but it was the best he could come up with in two minutes and he really should be going home. There were lights on in the house and he could see movement, so he waited for a moment. Or two. Or a good few.

After an unknown number of moments, the movement seemed to taper off and Kageyama decided that now was the time to commence his plan. He quickly walked down the path, folder in hand, and was bending down to put it on the welcome mat when the door swung open.

“So, you must be Kageyama-kun.”

Oh shit.

Kageyama looked up slowly and came face-to-face with none other than Hinata’s mother. This was the worst-case scenario, and he found himself totally unprepared. His fingers tightened almost painfully around the folder in his hands.

“This is Hinata’s!” He squeaked, holding it out to her. She simply eyed him for a minute, a gleam of something flitting through her eyes before her face relaxed almost unnoticeably.

“Shouyou!” She yelled, turning to face into the house. “Your friend’s here!”

Friend. Of course. Kageyama tried not to scowl too much at that. He heard thumping feet approach the doorway and suddenly there he was; Hinata was taken aback by his presence.

“Uh… You left this in the club room.” He thrust the folder into Hinata’s hands. What did he do now? Should he just leave? This was getting more awkward by the second.

“Kageyama-kun, did you walk all the way out here just to return Shouyou’s folder?” Hinata’s mother broke the silence.

“Yes, ma’am.” He pursed his lips and looked at the ground for a moment. They were both quiet for another short and awkward silence before she continued.

“Will you come inside for a moment? Unless you have to be home at a certain time.”

“Not really.” He rushed out. “I mean, yes, I can come in for a moment.”

Kageyama took off his shoes and left his stuff in the entryway. When he looked up at Hinata’s face, he found that they were both at a loss. They followed his mother and she led them to the dining table, where she sat in the end seat.

“Sit.” She told them softly, and they both complied. Kageyama didn’t feel good about this. “I wasn’t really planning on having this conversation now, but since you’re here…”

Hinata’s mother didn’t speak for an agonizingly long moment, and Kageyama could see Hinata squirm a bit in his seat. Then, she took a deep breath and opened her mouth.

“I’m a traditional woman, Kageyama-kun. I was raised not understanding that there were orientations other than straight, and this is all very new to me.” Kageyama nodded. “Now, I still don’t really get it, but I guess that’s fine. I’m not going to stop you from seeing my son. However,” she took another deep breath, “you do need to watch yourselves around Natsu. She learns a lot of what she knows from Shouyou. Do you understand?”

Kageyama sat in stunned silence for a beat before he came to his senses. “Yes, of course. I am very sorry about that. It won’t happen again.” He said.

“I appreciate that.”

“Sorry, mom.” Hinata spoke for the first time since they’d taken their seats, eyes focussed intently on the wooden table.

“Thank you Shouyou.” Then after a moment, “Okay, that’s all.”

“Thank you, Hinata-san.” He replied, standing from his seat. “I’ll be heading out now.” That part was aimed more at Hinata, but she still nodded her acknowledgement. He nodded again, feeling rather uncomfortable, and walked away with Hinata trailing him.

Kageyama pulled his shoes on with Hinata watching him silently. He did have a small smile pulling at his lips, and it was a refreshing sight to behold after the nearly full week of absent looks and barely concealed frowns. Once he was ready to leave, he turned to face Hinata, and then there were arms around his waist and a fluffy ball of orange slammed into his chest, causing him to let out a soft “oof.” He readily accepted the hug, squeezing Hinata back.

“You gonna be okay?” He asked, his face pressed into Hinata’s hair.

“Yeah. You really didn’t have to walk all the way out here to bring me the folder, you know.” Hinata looked up at him and giggled.

“Well, it’s due tomorrow, so…”

That just made Hinata smile even wider. “Thanks!” He said simply.

Kageyama’s phone buzzed in his pocket, and he pulled it out to find a text from his mom.

**mom, 20:34**

Are you on your way home?

**you, 20:35**

yeah i’ll be home in a bit

He put his phone back away, looking back up to Hinata. “That was my mom. I should probably go home now.”

“Oh. Okay.”

“Well, bye, dumbass.”

Hinata clutched a hand to his chest, as if scandalized, and gaped at him in jest before ushering him out the front door. “Bye, Bakageyama!” He called as Kageyama walked up to the road.

Kageyama waved behind his head, picking up a jog once he heard the door close. He was happy with the rather unexpected turn of events, but something seemed amiss - something he couldn’t quite put his finger on. That thought seemed ridiculous, and that’s what he told himself as he continued toward his home. Hinata’s mother, even if was rather shakily, had accepted their relationship in her own way. While he didn’t like her apprehension and the thought that Hinata had to live with that on a daily basis, he knew it was a big step from where they’d been before. Kageyama contented himself with that knowledge and chose to think optimistically.

As he approached his building, the beginning of a smile tugged at his lips. Yeah, things could be better; but for now, they were pretty good.

 

 


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i'm sorry about the impromptu hiatus, everyone. i finally got the inspiration i needed today, so i finally present you with a new chapter! i hope you enjoy angst :)

Things were not pretty good.

“Sorry, I can’t today.” Hinata said quietly, gathering his things after pulling his shoes on. Practice was over for the day, and as with many days before, Kageyama had just invited him over.

“Why not?” He demanded angrily, before shrinking back a bit. That wasn’t meant to sound as harsh as it did.

“My mom wants me to watch Natsu while she goes shopping. She told me I couldn’t have anyone over.”

Kageyama couldn’t think of anything definitive to say to that, so he just huffed an annoyed “okay” as he followed Hinata outside.

Kageyama hadn’t gotten to see Hinata outside of school in weeks. Not only was the short boy’s mother insistently demanding him to come home immediately from practice every day, but he didn’t seem to be resisting it anymore. Of course Kageyama couldn’t expect him to rebel against his mother’s rules, but he still felt hurt… By what? He hesitated to call this a lack of effort - he had no place to judge when his own mother was so accepting of their relationship.

They made their way down the road, their teammates all going off in their own directions. Hinata reached for Kageyama’s hand, and their fingers intertwined.

He could feel a rift forming between them, and he hated it. Sitting near each other at lunch at actually started to feel uncomfortable again, the inverse of the discomfort they felt before their relationship had begun. Hinata had become uncharacteristically quiet during their shared mealtime, and it made Kageyama even more nervous. He was paranoid that he was making Hinata feel crowded, or ignored, or like he didn’t care enough - the current hand-holding only served to confuse him more.

Despite her words of acceptance, Hinata’s mother seemed to be actively trying to make things difficult for them. It made Kageyama feel so incredibly angry, but he was also second-guessing himself at every turn. What if he was reading into things too much? She could be trying to the best of her current ability for all he knew, but it still didn’t sit right with him.

He was left alone to stew in his thoughts a lot these days.

“-geyama? Kageyama? ...Tobio?”

His head snapped up at that, and he felt his cheeks get hot. Hinata hadn’t called him by his given name before.

“Sorry, what?”

“I was asking what you were going to do tomorrow.”

“Oh.” Kageyama was honestly surprised that he was asking. “I don’t have any plans. Why?”

“Can… Can I come over?”

Kageyama actually stopped walking that time. Hinata turned to face him as he also stopped, and he looked nervous. “Sure.”

* * *

He had convinced himself that things would move back toward normalcy after Hinata invited himself over, but he seemed more anxious if anything. Kageyama was distracted all day long - what if something was really wrong? Was he going to break up with him? He kept trying to tell himself that he was overreacting, but a part of him wondered about it all day. Hinata could be kind of forward, but he hadn’t point-blank asked to come over before. He had a point here - what was it again?

Right. Hinata was still acting distant and uncomfortable, and that worried Kageyama more than it probably ought to.

They were walking together again, heading toward Kageyama’s house for the night. He’d asked his mother if Hinata could come over as soon as he got home the previous night and she actually agreed - she was proving to be much more progressive than he expected. There had been one stipulation, though: they were to sleep in the living room. He’d agreed readily; it truthfully seemed pretty fair.

As they reached his home, he pulled out his key and unlocked the door. They both took off their shoes and Hinata looked back at him with a confused expression when he noticed that no one was home.

“My mom’s working late tonight.” Kageyama said by way of explanation, and Hinata nodded thoughtfully.

After getting drinks, Kageyama joined Hinata on the couch where he’d already turned the TV on to some cartoon he’d never seen before. He settled in without a word and handed over Hinata’s drink, which he immediately drank almost half of. They sat in silence for a few minutes, neither paying attention to the cartoon playing in front of them.

“Are you okay?” Kageyama asked quietly, the words coming out of his mouth before he could even think to stop them. He could see Hinata bite at his bottom lip.

“Yeah, are you?”

“Stop that.”

“Stop what?”

“Stop acting like something isn’t wrong!” He snapped, immediately slapping his hands over his mouth.  What was his deal lately? “Sorry, Hinata. Sorry.”

“It’s fine.”

“It isn’t, though.”

Hinata didn’t respond. In fact, he was avoiding eye contact. Kageyama didn’t know if he was imagining it or not, but he could swear that he was inhaling deeper as if to keep his breathing even as he looked aimlessly toward the ceiling.

And then tears started to roll down his cheeks.

Oh shit, what was the protocol here? Kageyama felt completely out of his element. Hinata was gasping for air as he seemingly struggled to not cry, burying his face in his hands as his shoulders shook.

After sitting in shock for a moment, Kageyama snapped out of it and pulled Hinata into his arms. He held him close and rubbed his back in what he hoped was a soothing manner as he struggled to find the right words to say.

“It’s okay, Hinata, it’s okay. Don’t hold it in.”

At this, a particularly loud sob came out of Hinata’s shaking frame, and Kageyama felt his own throat getting a bit tight. He pushed it down, though; he was focussing on Hinata right now. He felt hands fist in the front of his shirt and then Hinata pressed his face into his chest; he could immediately feel wetness seep into the fabric and it broke his heart as Hinata continued to cry.

It took a while, but Hinata eventually seemed to get it out of his system. Kageyama remained quiet as his breathing evened back out, but had to ask a soft “hmm?” when Hinata mumbled something with his face still pressed to his chest.

“Sorry.” He said more clearly this time.

“Don’t be.” Kageyama tightened his arms around the smaller boy, pressing his face into his soft orange hair. “You wanna talk about it?”

Hinata took a shuddering breath, and for a moment Kageyama was afraid he was going to start sobbing again. “It’s just… My mom. I don’t really know what I was expecting, but...”

“Yeah.” Kageyama said when he trailed off. “I’m really sorry.”

“Why?” Hinata pulled back to look up at him, genuine confusion evident amongst the post-cry evidence staining his features.

“Well, I mean, if I hadn’t jumped you that day at your house your mom wouldn’t have found out.”

Hinata wrapped his arms back around Kageyama’s middle and shoved his face into his chest again. “Don’t say that.”

“It’s true, though.”

“I could’ve said no.”

“You _did_ say no. I just didn’t listen.”

“No, no, I changed my mind. There’s a big difference.”

“I guess that’s true.” Kageyama mumbled.

The silence that followed was a somber one, but their closeness felt more comfortable than it had in a couple of weeks. Being with Hinata like this again was having an oddly tranquilizing effect on him. He wordlessly repositioned them both on the seat before laying down, taking Hinata with him so that he was resting on top of him. The shorter boy actually nuzzled into him a bit before going completely limp; he was also feeling drowsy at this point. The way he rested had his ear pressed to Kageyama’s chest, and he listened to the strong and sure thumps of his beating heart as he drifted to sleep.

 

 


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> it's been 84 years  
> really, though, i'm so sorry about the ridiculous hiatus i sprung on you guys with no warning. school was insane and i've had company breathing down my neck for a couple weeks.  
> i'm also sorry because the angst... it has begun...  
> i still have a good couple weeks before school starts back up, so i'll try to get more prepared in the meantime.  
> warning for homophobic language

The next day, Hinata was back to normal.

Not the good normal, though; he had this unnerving fake smile plastered on his face and was back to putting obvious distance between himself and Kageyama. This didn’t go unnoticed. 

Throughout practice and their day of classes, Kageyama couldn’t miss the occasional slips in the already-shaky facade. He would look up from his notes and Hinata would be staring him down with a look that bordered on distraught. Of course, every time he was caught, he'd look away with a nervous squeak. It was emotionally and mentally arresting. 

What was the deal? Kageyama had thought that they’d gotten past the bulk of Hinata’s issues surrounding their relationship, but that seemed to not be true; he could tell that his boyfriend had something he needed to get off of his chest and that it was weighing on him heavily. Hopefully he’d talk soon.

Through some ambiguous mixture of fear and respecting Hinata’s boundaries, Kageyama didn’t initiate much interaction for a few days. If they were near one another and the situation was appropriate, he’d make small talk, but he left Hinata alone otherwise. They still walked their shared portion of the walk to and from school together, although the trip was now spent in awkward and distant silence. 

He felt alone. 

It was a Saturday when things escalated. 

Sugawara had, of course, taken notice of their lack of coupley behavior and finally taken matters into his own hands. He came up to Kageyama as practice was winding down and used a surprisingly strong grip on the younger boy’s arm, a worrying smile shining on his slightly sweaty features.

“Kageyama-kun, may I borrow you for a moment?”

His tone left no room for argument, so Kageyama simply nodded and let Suga steer him from the gym. As soon as the older setter deemed them to be out of earshot and away from prying eyes, his fake grin dropped and was replaced with motherly concern.

“What’s going on?”

“...What?”

“With you and Hinata, silly.”

Kageyama bristled, frowning and refusing to make eye contact. “I don’t know. He’s not talking to me.”

“Well, you seem to not really be talking to him either. Why is that?”

“I don’t know.”

“I think we both know that’s not true.”

Kageyama huffed at that and crossed his arms. He could feel his cheeks heating up as Suga smiled weakly. It took him a moment or ten to get a coherent statement together. 

“I think he has something to say, but he won't say it?” Why did that come out as a question?

“Then ask him!”

“It's not that simple.” 

“Why not?” Suga questioned, sounding as if his patience was wearing thin. He crossed his arms and fixed Kageyama with an inescapable stare. 

Kageyama avoided his senpai’s watchful gaze, sighing loudly. He started tapping his foot nervously and pursed his lips.

“I’m…” He scratched the back of his head. “I - I want to let him figure it out. I don’t want to force him to talk about it if he’s not ready, I guess.”

There was a pregnant pause before Suga replied, “And you’re nervous.”

“Fucking- Maybe. Whatever.”

Suga chuckled lightly at how obviously flustered he was. “Just… Talk to him, okay?” He patted Kageyama on the shoulder before gesturing toward the club room. “You’re free to go.”

Kageyama nodded wordlessy and incredibly awkwardly as he bolted toward the stairs. He knew he had to have this conversation, but he was nervous, just like Suga had said. 

Hinata was almost done changing by the time Kageyama got to the club room, and stood by the door impatiently bouncing on the balls of his feet. Kageyama felt the need to hurry, and sloppily threw his practice clothes into his bag as he stumbled toward the door. The two began their walk home in silence.

Suga’s words churned in Kageyama’s mind as they shuffled away from school. 

_ Just talk to him. _

It should be that simple, so why did it feel so damn hard?

Hinata was his new-usual eerily silent self, kicking pebbles along as he kept pace with Kageyama. His eyes were glued to the ground as the small rocks skipped along the pavement. 

Now or never, Kageyama mused.

“Hey.”

Hey. A wonderful, articulate start.

Hinata glanced up at him, raising his eyebrows instead of actually responding.

“Uh… So. Um. You’ve seemed- I mean.” Kageyama huffed. He was really bad at this. “Are you okay? You’ve seemed weird for a few days now.”

He didn’t get a quick response. Hinata’s eyes darted back to the ground, and his jaw set. He looked upset - angry, almost. After a few agonizing seconds, he sighed rather dramatically and shrugged.

“Gee, I don’t know, Kageyama. I mean, I just can’t think of a single reason I’d have to be upset! Can you?!” He jabbed a finger at Kageyama, his voice growing in volume as he continued. “It’s not like my mom hates me now because I’m a fag or something!-”

“Did she  _ say that _ to you?”

“Shut up! Oh my god, please stop rubbing in how accepting your family is! It must be really nice, huh? Having their support. Knowing they still love you!” Kageyama bristled at that, but didn’t try to comment again. He was shocked, slack-jawed as Hinata ranted.

“It’s just so funny to me, you know? You have a family who didn’t even think twice when you came out! They accepted it without a second thought and invited me over for dinner. When my mom found out, she grounded me! She said it was for our little display, but I know that’s not true! I don’t know why I ever thought she’d be okay with it.”

Kageyama had no idea what to say, so he went with the first thing that came to mind. “I’m really sorry.”

“Don’t give me that!” Hinata snarled. “You only even asked because Suga-san told you to! You’ve known that something was up for days and you didn’t say anything. You don’t get to act all noble now.”

“Hinata, I-” He was cut off by a sharp pain across his cheek as Hinata slapped him. There were tears rolling down Hinata’s cheeks when Kageyama looked down at him.

“Please, just… Stop. Please leave me alone.” With that, he turned and took off at a full sprint.

Kageyama felt like his feet had sprouted roots, holding him to the concrete as his boyfriend ran away from him. 

“Hinata!” He shouted, his throat tight. He didn’t get a response. 

Hinata disappeared from view and Kageyama’s heart sank.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> again, i'm so sorry lmao


	14. Chapter 14

Kageyama woke up on Sunday morning feeling exhausted and guilty. Even though he knew he wasn't entirely at fault, that's still how he felt; Hinata had done what he did because he had upset him. 

The sun was already high in the sky, and his alarm clock told him that it was nearly 11 AM. He was surprised that his mother hadn't checked on him yet, but then he remembered storming past her the night before with angry tears wetting his cheeks. She had evidently decided to give him some space, and he was overwhelmingly grateful for that fact. 

He sighed a deep, depressed sigh and rolled onto his back again, staring at the ceiling. Should he check on Hinata, or should he follow his mother’s example and leave him be? He had seemed pretty upset last night when Kageyama had tried to butt in, but part of him wondered whether that would still hold true today. 

Maybe he should ask Suga what to do, but he quickly shot that option down as he reflected on the previous evening. He knew it was unfair to hold his senpai accountable, but sue him - some part of him didn’t trust Suga’s advice for the time being. 

His phone was on the ground, dead; he hadn’t bothered to pick it up last night, much less plug it in. He did just that as he made his way to the bathroom. 

Would Hinata even want to talk to him today? Kageyama barely felt the scalding water forcefully pounding at his back as he was absorbed by thoughts of what to do. Give him time, ask someone for advice, just go for it and call him… It was all so confusing and stressful. Kageyama had never put this much effort into maintaining a close relationship with someone and had it actually succeed (for the most part, anyway) and felt at a loss for how to proceed. 

He moved mechanically as he dried off, putting on clean clothes and throwing his dirty ones from practice in the wash. It must’ve been almost noon by this point, and his stomach growled in protest of the lack of breakfast. 

He’d think about it while he ate; that sounded like a great idea. Definitely not a procrastination technique. Of course not.

The house was silent, and Kageyama cheered internally. He wasn’t ready for conversation yet. The combination of his fight with Hinata and the standing fact that he was, in fact, an introvert who didn’t often get to be completely alone made walking around the house without human interaction sound just heavenly. 

He got out a bowl and made himself some cereal, heavy on the milk. The TV was set to the local news, and he watched mindlessly as he inhaled his breakfast. It was technically still breakfast since it was his first meal of the day, right? That was what the word meant. Kageyama’s brow furrowed in thought as he drank the milk from the bowl.

If Hinata were here listening to these thoughts, he would be just as mystified as he was by the question. Kageyama reached for his phone before remembering that a) he was giving Hinata space right now and b) his phone was dead and charging upstairs anyway, so it didn’t matter. He huffed in frustration before standing to go wash his dishes.

Was Hinata awake right now? He probably was; he tended to wake up early even on free days. Kageyama washed the bowl quickly and set it aside to dry. The spoon had tiny flecks of cereal that refused to be washed away, and he scrubbed at them angrily as his thoughts consumed him. No choice seemed right - give him too much space and he’ll be accused of not caring again, don’t give him enough and he’ll make Hinata feel smothered. 

There were still cereal flecks all over the fucking spoon. He huffed and picked up the steel wool, scraping it against the metal harshly. He may have fucked up royally with Hinata, but he should be able to clean a piece of silverware. This was just ridiculous.

A hand came to rest on Kageyama’s shoulder, and he jumped - actually  _ jumped _ \- as the spoon clattered into the sink. His mother was looking at him curiously. 

“Did you hear me, Tobio?”

He gaped at her dumbly for a moment before collecting himself. “Ah, no. No I didn’t. Sorry.”

“Okay. Will you help me bring in the groceries, please?”

“Yeah.” He ducked past her before she could engage him further and grabbed as many bags from the trunk of her car as possible. His mother only talked to him to ask him to pass something or put something away in one of the taller cabinets, and they got everything put away in impressive time. Kageyama started to take his leave when the hand came down on his shoulder again.

“Oh, no. I left you alone last night, but we’re talking now. Take a seat.” She gently pushed him toward the couch, and he fell into the seat heavily, avoiding eye contact.

His mother sat at the far end of the couch to allow him his space and didn’t say anything at first. The silence weighed down on him and he squirmed uncomfortably. Couldn’t he just go wallow in peace?

“What happened last night, Tobio?”

He just huffed and hugged a pillow to his chest, eyes locked on the couch cushions. 

“Tobio.”

“Nothing.”

“Tobio, honestly.”

He didn’t have words. On some level, the whole debacle seemed somewhat unreal in his memory. Hinata wasn’t the type to hit for real, and seeing him cry was so upsetting that it couldn’t have actually happened. He sniffed and squeezed the pillow.

“We fought, okay?” 

It came out with a lot more bite than he’d intended for it to, but he couldn’t be bothered to address that. 

“So, what was it about?” His mother prodded. 

“It was stupid.”

“Most fights are.”

Kageyama sighed, and before he knew it, he was laying everything out for his mother. Save some unnecessary details (read: intimate activities), he told her the gist of everything leading up to their fight the night before - being found out by Hinata’s mother, his subsequent grounding, the growing distance between them, Hinata’s frankly frightening crying episode, further distancing, and finally the fight itself. Kageyama’s mother listened in perfect silence, nodding every now and then to show that she was paying attention.

When he ran out of steam, he simply shut his mouth and hugged the pillow in his arms like it was a treasured stuffed animal. 

“Has he tried to talk to you today?”

“No.” He thought for a second and then amended. “I mean, my phone was dead, so I don’t know…”

His mother actually scoffed at him.

“Sorry, sorry. You can be so silly sometimes, you know that?” She leaned forward as Kageyama bristled at the comment. “You should really check on that.”

She had a point there. He jumped up from the couch and was almost out of the room before he turned back to her.

“Uh… Thanks.”

“No problem.”

His phone took forever to turn on, and the dumb thing froze up as soon as the display came to life. The carrier logo eventually flashed across the screen, and then the lockscreen came up. Moments later, the notifications started rolling in - some were game requests from the Facebook account he was forced to open, but those were quickly drowned out by the absolute flood of texts, missed calls, and even a few voicemails. There were a few from Suga which he would listen to later, but the vast majority were from Hinata. He decided he’d get to the calls and voicemails later, and opted to open their text conversation first.

**dumbass hinata, 22:48** **  
** tobio im sorry

**dumbass hinata, 22:53** **  
** im so sorry

There were many other simply forms of the “I’m sorry” text, all sent in quick succession. Kageyama felt a tug of guilt as he kept reading.

**dumbass hinata, 22:57** ****  
i cant believe i slapped u that’s   
not like me

**dumbass hinata, 22:59** ****  
thats not an excuse but i am   
sorry tobio

**dumbass hinata, 23:12** ****  
...r u ignoring me? i deserve   
it if u r but can u tell me so i can   
stop bothering u

**dumbass hinata, 23:33** ****  
i guess ill try u again tomorrow.   
goodnight <3

And then, there were a few more from that morning.

**dumbass hinata, 08:32** **  
** good morning. im sorry :(

**dumbass hinata, 09:01** ****  
i bet ur phone died. can u plz   
text me when u get these? im   
getting kinda worried

**dumbass hinata, 10:43** ****  
u didn’t deserve anything i   
said last night none of it was   
true and it was all mean

**dumbass hinata, 11:16** **  
** can we talk?

**dumbass hinata, 11:19** ****  
i’m gonna leave u alone now.   
just text me ok? i need to    
know that ur ok

Kageyama’s throat felt unnaturally tight as he read over the texts a couple times. He felt like such an ass. After a moment, he typed a simple reply and hit send before he could back out.

**you, 12:27** ****  
i’m ok and i’m sorry too. does    
now work for you?

**[read, 12:27]**

**[dumbass hinata is typing…]**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i hope the texting formatting looks ok! i tried something slightly different this time.   
> look at these kids :') maybe they'll get it together soon.


	15. i'm so sorry

i'm so so sorry to do this, but i won't be continuing this fic, and i'll be orphaning it shortly. 

i started out loving the idea of this fic, but over time, i've lost passion for it and it's become an obligation. i see how many people are subscribed and feel like i have to continue, but trying to force out chapter after chapter of this just weighs me down and i need to be done. i'm seriously sitting here crying because i feel like i'm letting you down, but this was supposed to be fun, and it just isn't anymore. 

a parting message that i hope won't register as an attack: please, please stop messaging fic authors demanding updates. i'm not talking about "i hope you update soon!" bc messages like that are so nice to hear; i'm talking about comments like "r u ever going to update?" or "where's the next chapter, huh?"

you know who you are. please change this behavior. it's so upsetting and so, so rude.

leaving this story unresolved feels so wrong, and i'm sorry for that. please understand that this isn't done without due consideration, and please allow me to distance myself from this piece of writing. i've grown so much since i started writing this last year and need to move on. i hope you understand. 

you can find other long kagehinas [here](http://archiveofourown.org/works/2035458), [here](http://archiveofourown.org/works/2902847), and [here](http://archiveofourown.org/works/2323055).

goodbye, and no, this isn't a joke.


End file.
